Rockets' Rafael Stone Calls Kenyon Martin Jr. One of His 'Favorite NBA players Ever'

Despite rumors of a trade request, Houston Rockets GM Rafael Stone spoke highly about second-year prospect Kenyon Martin Jr.

HOUSTON — Soon-to-be third-year prospect Kenyon Martin Jr. made his way to the rumor mill Monday morning. Per The Athletic, Martin has approached the organization with a trade request — as the second-generation NBA forward yearns for more minutes next season. It's a feat that could become a daunting task for Martin to achieve in Houston.

Despite the departure of Christian Wood to the Dallas Mavericks, the Rockets' frontcourt will continue to be a crowded corps. Houston could add two more forwards to their current frontcourt, which could contain the selection of Duke's Paolo Banchero with their top selection of the 2022 NBA Draft. 

It's uncertain whether or not the Rockets will grant Martin's trade request. But general manager Rafael Stone displayed his adoration for Martin as another trade request arise.

"K.J. is with the Rockets," Stone said when speaking to the media Tuesday afternoon. "K.J. is an exceptionally nice young man and one of my favorite NBA players ever. He has improved at an awesome rate so far in his NBA career. And I am really happy with him."

Martin was the first player Stone drafted after taking the helm as general manager in October of 2020. He came to Houston as an unknown prospect who quickly established himself as a foundational piece in the Rockets rebuild.

Martin played an average of 23.7 minutes in the 45 games he played as a rookie in 2021, but his playing time began to decrease last season. The former second-round pick (No. 52 overall) averaged 21.0 minutes across the 79 games he played. Martin recorded an average of 8.8 points on 53.3 percent shooting from the field and 3.8 rebounds.

"This is a tough time of the year for everyone," Stone said. "People's names are getting tossed out there, and it's one of the hardest parts about this job. But Martin is one of my favorite guys." 

In addition to Martin, the Rockets are still trying to find a solution for veteran point guard John Wall. A source told Inside the Rockets Thursday that Houston and Wall are still "working on something" to end their two-year partnership. 

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